diff --git a/pkg/commands/cmd_reload.go b/pkg/commands/cmd_reload.go
index e4c65366c..07ab44016 100644
--- a/pkg/commands/cmd_reload.go
+++ b/pkg/commands/cmd_reload.go
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ func reloadCommand() Definition {
 			if err := rt.ReloadConfig(); err != nil {
 				return req.Reply("Failed to reload configuration: " + err.Error())
 			}
-			return req.Reply("Configuration reloaded successfully!")
+			return req.Reply("Config reload triggered!")
 		},
 	}
 }
diff --git a/pkg/gateway/gateway.go b/pkg/gateway/gateway.go
index 9e34dbcce..ee7815fe2 100644
--- a/pkg/gateway/gateway.go
+++ b/pkg/gateway/gateway.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"os/signal"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"sync"
+	"sync/atomic"
 	"syscall"
 	"time"
 
@@ -55,6 +56,7 @@ type services struct {
 	DeviceService    *devices.Service
 	HealthServer     *health.Server
 	manualReloadChan chan struct{}
+	reloading        atomic.Bool
 }
 
 type startupBlockedProvider struct {
@@ -122,11 +124,16 @@ func Run(debug bool, configPath string, allowEmptyStartup bool) error {
 	manualReloadChan := make(chan struct{}, 1)
 	runningServices.manualReloadChan = manualReloadChan
 	reloadTrigger := func() error {
+		if !runningServices.reloading.CompareAndSwap(false, true) {
+			return fmt.Errorf("reload already in progress")
+		}
 		select {
 		case manualReloadChan <- struct{}{}:
 			return nil
 		default:
-			return fmt.Errorf("reload already in progress")
+			// Should not happen, but reset flag if channel is full
+			runningServices.reloading.Store(false)
+			return fmt.Errorf("reload already queued")
 		}
 	}
 	runningServices.HealthServer.SetReloadFunc(reloadTrigger)
@@ -158,7 +165,11 @@ func Run(debug bool, configPath string, allowEmptyStartup bool) error {
 			shutdownGateway(runningServices, agentLoop, provider, true)
 			return nil
 		case newCfg := <-configReloadChan:
-			err := handleConfigReload(ctx, agentLoop, newCfg, &provider, runningServices, msgBus, allowEmptyStartup)
+			if !runningServices.reloading.CompareAndSwap(false, true) {
+				logger.Warn("Config reload skipped: another reload is in progress")
+				continue
+			}
+			err := executeReload(ctx, agentLoop, newCfg, &provider, runningServices, msgBus, allowEmptyStartup)
 			if err != nil {
 				logger.Errorf("Config reload failed: %v", err)
 			}
@@ -167,13 +178,15 @@ func Run(debug bool, configPath string, allowEmptyStartup bool) error {
 			newCfg, err := config.LoadConfig(configPath)
 			if err != nil {
 				logger.Errorf("Error loading config for manual reload: %v", err)
+				runningServices.reloading.Store(false)
 				continue
 			}
 			if err = newCfg.ValidateModelList(); err != nil {
 				logger.Errorf("Config validation failed: %v", err)
+				runningServices.reloading.Store(false)
 				continue
 			}
-			err = handleConfigReload(ctx, agentLoop, newCfg, &provider, runningServices, msgBus, allowEmptyStartup)
+			err = executeReload(ctx, agentLoop, newCfg, &provider, runningServices, msgBus, allowEmptyStartup)
 			if err != nil {
 				logger.Errorf("Manual reload failed: %v", err)
 			} else {
@@ -183,6 +196,19 @@ func Run(debug bool, configPath string, allowEmptyStartup bool) error {
 	}
 }
 
+func executeReload(
+	ctx context.Context,
+	agentLoop *agent.AgentLoop,
+	newCfg *config.Config,
+	provider *providers.LLMProvider,
+	runningServices *services,
+	msgBus *bus.MessageBus,
+	allowEmptyStartup bool,
+) error {
+	defer runningServices.reloading.Store(false)
+	return handleConfigReload(ctx, agentLoop, newCfg, provider, runningServices, msgBus, allowEmptyStartup)
+}
+
 func createStartupProvider(
 	cfg *config.Config,
 	allowEmptyStartup bool,
diff --git a/pkg/health/server.go b/pkg/health/server.go
index 226a0ba96..fe20e4b94 100644
--- a/pkg/health/server.go
+++ b/pkg/health/server.go
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ type Server struct {
 	checks     map[string]Check
 	startTime  time.Time
 	reloadFunc func() error
-	reloadMu   sync.Mutex
 }
 
 type Check struct {
@@ -111,8 +110,8 @@ func (s *Server) RegisterCheck(name string, checkFn func() (bool, string)) {
 
 // SetReloadFunc sets the callback function for config reload.
 func (s *Server) SetReloadFunc(fn func() error) {
-	s.reloadMu.Lock()
-	defer s.reloadMu.Unlock()
+	s.mu.Lock()
+	defer s.mu.Unlock()
 	s.reloadFunc = fn
 }
 
@@ -124,9 +123,9 @@ func (s *Server) reloadHandler(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	s.reloadMu.Lock()
+	s.mu.Lock()
 	reloadFunc := s.reloadFunc
-	s.reloadMu.Unlock()
+	s.mu.Unlock()
 
 	if reloadFunc == nil {
 		w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json")